Receiver for spent shells



Oct. 27, 1964 w. D. BRASS 3,153,981

RECEIVER FOR SPENT SHELLS Filed July 2, 1963 INVENTOR WlLLlAM D. BRASS ATTORNEYS United States Patent "ice 3,153,981 RECEIVER FOR SPENT SHELLS William D. Brass, 6202 SE. 21st Ave., Portland, Oreg. Filed July 2, 1963, Ser. No. 292,297 6 Claims. (Cl. 89-33) This invention relates to a receiver that may be used to collect casings from spent shells or cartridges after ejection of the casings from a firearm, such as a shotgun, rifle, etc. Many rifies and shotguns include ejection mechanism operable to eject a casing upon a new shell being placed in firing position, and this invention concerns a device including a container which may be mounted directly on the firearm, with the container collecting casings as they are ejected thus to prevent them from falling to the ground.

It has been a practice of many gun users to collect empty shell casings after they have been discharged, and then to reload these casings for further use. This practice has become more popular as the cost of new shells has increased, and with the introduction of equipment that makes the reloading of shell casings relatively easy. With the device of the invention, a hunter need not continually lean over and pick up spent shell casings, and further he is assured that none of the casings from the shells he has fired are lost.

Generally, an object of the invention is to provide a novel device of the character described, operable to hold shell casings as they are ejected, and which has a construction offering little or no impairment to the usual operation of the firearm.

Yet another object is to provide such a device, that is easily mounted in place, and removed, and which does not require modification of the firearm for its support on the firearm.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a shell casing receiver, which is adapted to be mounted in receiving relation over the opening in one side of a firearm through which spent shell casings are ejected, which is easily and quickly adjusted to a position where the side of the firearm is opened up to enable the loading of fresh shells.

Yet another object is to provide a shell casing receiver which is easily emptied of its contents.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shell casing receiver which is relatively light, and which, therefore, has little effect on gun balance or feel.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the invention, and the same is described hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of portions of a firearm (shown in dashed outline), and illustrating a shell casing receiver mounted on the firearm, with portions of the receiver broken away;

FIG. 2 is a view taken generally along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, further illustrating how a container or bag in the device is mounted in position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view drawn on a slightly larger scale showing the pivot mounting for the end of a bail member in the device.

Referring now to the drawings, indicated in dashed outline at are portions of a firearm, such as a shotgun, the latter being exemplary of a firearm with which the receiver of the invention may be used. At 12 there is indicated an elongated opening in the side of the shotgun, through which shell casings from spent shells are ejected. For the purposes of this disclosure, it will be assumed that the new shells are loaded into the firearm through the same opening, and thus during the loading 3,153,981 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 operation, opening 12 must be uncovered, to allow the placement of new shells into the shotgun.

The receiver contemplated for receiving shell casings as they are ejected comprises, in general terms, a mounting, indicated at 16, which straddles the underside of the firearm, a flexible bag or container 18 disposed to one side of the firearm, and a support means 20 for the bag which is mounted on mounting 16.

Describing the receiver now in more detail, mounting 16 comprises a U-shaped spring clamp 22, having opposed legs 22a, 22b. With the mounting in place on the shotgun, the legs extend upwardly along opposite sides of the firearm. These legs are secured to the firearm in such a manner as to hold the mounting firmly in place, without the necessity of modifying the shotgun. Thus the appearance of the shotgun, with the receiver removed, remains unchanged.

More specifically, leg 22b on one side of the shotgun extends upwardly into a cylindrically-shaped, suction cup element 24. Suction cup element 24 has a concave face 26 at one end thereof. The element is made of rubber, or other elastomer material, and the concave face at one end of the element, after the element has been pressed against the side of the firearm, produces a zone of subatmospheric pressure between the cup element and the side of the firearm that operates to hold the element in place.

Leg 22a of spring clamp 22 has an end 28 which extends outwardly and away from the side of the shotgun. Paralleling the shotgun, and extending along the length thereof, is a cross bar 30. Cross bar 30 has a bore 32 adjacent the center thereof, which receives end 28 of the spring clamp. A nut 34 screwed onto a threaded part of end 28 holds the cross bar in place.

Adjacent the ends of cross bar 30 are two additional suction cup elements (which the cross bar extends through), indicated at 36, 38. These resemble suction cup elements 24, and may be made of rubber, and have concave inner faces which provide suction after the same are pressed against a side of the shotgun.

With the cross bar anchored at its ends by the suction cup elements, stability is produced in the cross bar. Stability in the cross bar is desirable, since the ends of the cross bar are utilized to hold support means 20 in proper positioning over opening 12. It should be noted that the' spring clamp is effective to exert a continued inward pressure on cup elements 36, 38. Movement of the base of the clamp along the length of a shotgun results in end 28 pivoting in cross bar 30, without change in the position of the cross bar.

Support means 20 comprises a pair of pivoted members, more specifically, pivoted bail members 40, 41. Each partially supports bag 18.

Bail member 40 has reversely turned inner ends 40a, which extend through ears 30a projecting laterally of and integral with the cross bar. Ends 40a are pivotable within ears 30a. From ends 40a bail member 40 extends outwardly along parallel reaches 40b. Bail member 40 further includes parallel reaches 40c, 40d which parallel the side of the gun. With the receiver in operative, shell-receiving position, bail member 40 extends upwardly from its pivot connections with clamp 22 (provided by ends 40a), and reach 40d thereof supports the top of bag 18 against the side and adjacent the top of the shotgun.

Bail member 40 is made of spring steel, and the resiliency of the bail member is eflective to urge reaches 40b thereof outwardly and into frictional contact with ears 30a. It will be noted that ears 30a each have three grooves (see FIG. 4), indicated at 42, 44, and 46. These grooves define raised, horizontal, and lowered positions for bail member 40, these being indicated in FIG. 3 by the solid outline for the bail member, and by dashed outlines indicated at 40A and 4013 respectively.

Bag 18 includes side walls 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d. These form a hollow column in the bag. Top and bottom 18c, and 18 close off the top and bottom of the bag. The various walls, top and bottom, form a container which is closed save for an opening in the side of the bag that faces opening 12 of the shotgun, said opening is defined by top and bottom edges 50, 51, and side edges 52, 53 (see FIG. 2). Along top edge 50 a hem is provided, and the bail member extends through this hem. The bag at points along bottom edge 51 may be secured to bail member 40, as by loops of cord 58.

The receiver is shown in operative position in FIG. 3, with top edge 50 held closely adjacent the side of the shotgun, and with bail member 40 extending upwardly from its pivot with the spring clamp. Bail member 41 holds the outer side of the bag outwardly from the side of the shotgun. This bail member is substantially U- shaped, and has legs 41a pivotally received within projections or ears 60 integral with the legs of bail member 40. Along reach 41b, bail member 41 is secured to bag 18, as by loops of cord 62.

The receiver with the parts in the position shown in solid outline in FIG. 3 is eiiective to cover opening 12, and any shell casing ejected from the shotgun travels into the bag through the opening in the bag described. Since the bag is closed except for this opening, the shell casing then falls to the base of the bag, where it remains lodged until the bag is emptied.

To accommodate loading of the shotgun, bail member 40 may be pivoted downwardly to the position shown in dashed outline in FIG. 3 indicated at 40B. In this position, full access is provided to opening 12 of the shotgun, and the contents of the bag is prevented from falling out. To empty the bag, bail member 40 may be shifted to the position shown in dashed outline in FIG. 3 indicated at 40A. If bail member 41 is then pivoted to a position paralleling bail member 40, an opening is provided at the top of the bag through which the shell casings may be removed.

By pivotally mounting bail member 41, movement of bail member 40 to the position shown at 403 is facilitated. Further, this enables the bail members to be placed parallel to each other when unloading the bag. By having bail member 41 pivoted directly on bail member 40, on swinging of bail member 40 downwardly, the other bail member at the same time is swung downwardly and out of the way.

It will be noted that the device is relatively light, and thus will not impair the balance of the firearm. The device is easily mounted in place, and removed, and when mounted in place remains firmly in position. No modification of the firearm is needed to mount the device in place.

While an embodiment of the invention has been described, it should be obvious that changes and variations may be made without departing from the invention. It is desired to cover all such modifications and variations. that would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A receiver for receiving shell casings ejected from a firearm comprising a mounting adapted to be mounted on the firearm with opposed legs adapted to straddle the fire-arm with the mounting placed under the firearm and said legs extending upwardly on each side of the firearm,

a container,

a support for the container, and means including pivot means connecting said support to one of said legs of the mounting with said pivot means accommodating pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the firearm and with said support extending upwardly from said pivot axis,

said support holding said container adjacent one side of said firearm and being pivotable away from the firearm and being pivotable away from the firearm firearm and downwardly to expose said one side of the firearm.

2. A receiver for receiving shell casings ejected from a firearm comprising a mounting adapted to be mounted on the firearm with opposed legs adapted to straddle the firearm with the mounting placed under the firearm and said legs extending upwardly on each side of the firearm a container with flexible side walls,

a pivoted support member for said container pivotally mounted adjacent the base thereof on said mounting that with the receiver in operative position extends upwardly from said mounting and holds the top of the container adjacent one side of the firearm, and

a second pivoted support member for said container pivotally mounted on said first-mentioned pivoted support member that with the receiver in operative position extends outwardly from said one side of the firearm and holds the outer side of said container spaced outwardly and to one side of the firearm.

3. A receiver for receiving shell casings ejected from a firearm comprising a mounting with opposed legs adapted to straddle the firearm with the mounting placed under the firearm,

a container with flexible side walls, and

a support for the container,

said support including one bail member with opposed legs that are pivoted to said mounting, said bail member with the receiver in operative position extending upwardly from the mounting and holding the top of said container adjacent one side of the firearm,

said support further including another pivoted bail member with opposed legs that are pivoted to the legs of said one bail member, said other bail member with the receiver in operative position holding the outer side of the container spaced outwardly to one side of the firearm.

4. A receiver for receiving shell casings ejected from a firearm comprising, in operative position a mounting with opposed legs disposed on opposite sides of the firearm,

said mounting further including a cross bar mounted on one of said legs that substantially parallels the firearm on one side thereof and that extends along the length of the firearm with its ends on opposite sides of said one leg;

suction-cup means holding each of said ends of said cross bar against one side of the firearm,

a container, and

a support for the container pivoted to said cross bar for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the firearm and extending upwardly from its pivot connection with the cross bar,

said support holding said container adjacent said one side of said firearm and being pivotable away from said one side of the firearm and downwardly to expose the side of the firearm.

5. A receiver for receiving shell casings ejected from a firearm comprising, in operative position a substantially U-shaped spring clamp member under the firearm and straddling the firearm,

suction cup means holding one leg of said clamp member against one side of the firearm,

said clamp member having a leg opposite said one leg that terminates in an end projecting outwardly from the other side of the firearm,

a cross bar substantially paralleling the firearm and extending along the length thereof mounted on said end of said opposite leg with said end extending through an intermediate portion of said cross bar,

suction cup means holding each end of said cross bar against said other side of the firearm,

a container with flexible walls, and

a support for said container pivoted to said cross bar and extending upwardly therefrom,

said support holding said container adjacent said other side of said firearm and being pivotable away from the firearm and downwardly to expose said other side of the firearm.

6. A receiver for receiving shell casings ejected from a firearm comprising a bag with flexible walls for holding the shell casings,

said bag having substantially closed top and bottom ends and an opening in the side thereof adjacent the top of the bag,

a mounting for holding the receiver mounted on a firearm, and

support means for the bag,

said support means comprising one bail member with opposed legs that are pivoted adjacent their bottom ends to said mounting for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the firearm,

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 503,602 France June 15, 1920 563,739 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1944 358,715 Switzerland Jan. 15, 1962 

1. A RECEIVER FOR RECEIVING SHELL CASINGS EJECTED FROM A FIREARM COMPRISING A MOUNTING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE FIREARM WITH OPPOSED LEGS ADAPTED TO STRADDLE THE FIREARM WITH THE MOUNTING PLACED UNDER THE FIREARM AND SAID LEGS EXTENDING UPWARDLY ON EACH SIDE OF THE FIREARM, A CONTAINER, A SUPPORT FOR THE CONTAINER, AND MEANS INCLUDING PIVOT MEANS CONNECTING SAID SUPPORT TO ONE OF SAID LEGS OF THE MOUNTING WITH SAID PIVOT MEANS ACCOMMODATING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE FIREARM AND WITH SAID SUPPORT EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS, SAID SUPPORT HOLDING SAID CONTAINER ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF SAID FIREARM AND BEING PIVOTABLE AWAY FROM THE 